svalbard Flashcards
what and where is svalbard
svalbard is an archipelago (collection of 5 islands) owned by norway in the arctic circle
what biome is svalbard
tundra 60% and the rest is glaciers
how many months of the year is it ice
8 months
for how many months is permafrost (top3-6cm) melted for
4 months
what are some opportunites
- tourism - money
- mining - huge store of coal which is exported
- fishing - 150 different fish species
- university - offers degree level courses
what are some challenges faced due to tourism
tyre tracks erode the tundra which takes decades to recover
negatives of fishing
overfishing - many people flock to svalbard due to plentiful supply
what is the population of svalbard
2700 - most of which live in the capital of longyearbyen
how many snowmobiles are there (used instead of cars)
3000
what temperature can it reach
-50 degrees celsius
what is the most common wildlife that lives in svalbard
arctic foxes and polar bears
how long is there complete darkness for
four to six months in winter
when is there constant daylight
throughout summer
what is the seed vault
a vault that holds every type of plant or crop ever grown around the world
how are houses adapted for heavy snow fall
bright coloured so they are visible angled sloping roof to allow snow run off and built on stilts
